TRANSCRIPTION OF
MATERNAL INSTINCTS

“Maternal Instincts” Episode 11/60
[TEASER]
G: “Remember how it looked the last time we were here?”
X: “Hmm.”
G: “What a difference a year makes, huh?”
X: “One year, two months, and twelve days-- but who’s counting?”
G: “It’ll be fine-- you’ll see.”
X: “After all that Kaleipus has done to make this happen, I
certainly hope so.”
G: “I’m not talking about the treaty, Xena.”
X: “Sh. Solon. Solon, you dirty rat!”
Solon [Sol]: “I almost had you! I’ve been practicing!”
X: “Very impressive. Don’t you do it again. What do you think,
Gabrielle? Some tracker, huh?
G: “He’s a natural. Hi, Solon.”
Sol: “Hi, Gabrielle! Wait till you see! I got a staff-- just
like yours!”
G: “Really. That’s great!”
X: “Sounds like you’ve been pretty busy since we were here,
huh?”
Kaleipus [Kal]: “He’s learned a lot.”
X: “He’s clearly had a good teacher. Hello, Kaleipus.”
Kal: “Xena. It’s been a long time.”
X: “Forever.”
Kal: “Thank you both for coming.”
G: “We should be thanking you. This treaty-- it could be the
start of reuniting the Centaur nation.”
Kal: “That’s why the delegates brought their children-- so they
can appreciate the legacy we’re leaving them-- a legacy of
peace-- and hope.”
G: “Hey, what are we waiting for, huh? Solon, I’ll race you to
the edge of the village. On your mark, get set-- go!”
Sol: “No fair! That’s cheating!”
G: “You’ll never catch me!”
X: “Kaleipus, you should know that-- nothing’s changed. I
didn’t come back here to claim Solon. And besides, you’re more a
father to him than if he was really yours. I just came back here
to give him a chance at a safer future. Thanks to you, the
future’s never looked better-- for everyone.”
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Callisto [Cal]: [Stretches and sighs] “A child. I always
wanted a child.”
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[ACT I]
Xenon [Xen], Ephiny [Eph]: “Surprise!”
G: “Ephiny! I can’t believe this. Xenon? Why didn’t you send
word that you were coming?”
Eph: “And spoil the surprise? Besides, as a Centaur Prince,
this treaty’s important for Xenon, huh-- huh?! Why don’t you two
go play? Give Gabrielle and me a chance to catch up, huh?”
Sol: “OK.”
Eph: “Ooop! Sorry, Sweetie, but you might lose him. Lucas will
be here when you get back. Now, scoot!”
Sol: “Come on, Xenon.”
Eph: “Gabrielle, what is it? What’s wrong?”
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Cal: “It’s pathetic.”
Male Voice: “Both the totems are on fire! What do you think
you’re doing?!”
Cal: “Just sending a message to an old friend.”
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G: “I can’t believe it’s only been a couple of months. It feels
like a lifetime since Xena and I were in Brittania.”
Eph: “Word was Xena helped Boadicea defeat Caesar.”
G: “That’s true. While we were there-- I, uh-- I got into a-- a
very bad situation.”
Eph: “What do you mean? What happened?”
G: “I had a child. And, sh-- she died. I named her Hope.
That’s what she was. She was my hope that, um-- despite
everything that had happened-- this child was-- was worth it
all.”
Eph: “You can’t blame yourself for her death. Only the Fates
know why sleep steals a child’s life. I’m so sorry.”
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Kal: “Cut those men down-- now! I want the group responsible
for this.”
X: “It wasn’t a group. Look, there’s no footprints-- nothing’s
been disturbed.”
Kal: “It could be a god-- Ares maybe-- angry over the treaty.”
X: “No, it’s not his style. There’s only one who would relish
something like this. And unless the impossible’s happened, she’s
trapped for good.”
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Eph: “You sure you’ll be OK?”
G: “I’ll be fine. Now go, or you’ll be late for your meeting.
Ephiny-- don’t forget Lucas. This wolf-- it’s by Senticles,
isn’t it?”
Eph: “Uh-huh?”
G: “Yeah-- Xena gave me a wooden lamb last Winter Solstice. I
gave it to Hope.”
Eph: “Why don’t you get some rest?”
G: “I will. [Ephiny exits.] Whoever you are-- I know you’re
there. So come out-- now! I’m sorry. I-- I’m not gonna hurt
you. What’s your name?”
Hope-as-Fayla [H/Fayla]: “Fayla. Are you Xena-- the Warrior
Princess?”
G: “No, I’m not Xena. I’m Gabrielle. Xena’s a friend of mine.
Maybe I can help you.”
H/Fay: “It has to be Xena. The monster-lady made me promise.”
G: “Monster-lady?”
H/Fay: “She said she’d hurt me if I told anyone else. And she
can. She’s a god.”
G: “Fayla-- this monster-lady-- did she tell you her name?”
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X: “Callisto-- I sensed it earlier, but how could she escape?
This message she told you to give me-- what is it?”
H/Fay: “She told me to tell you that-- she knows your little
secret and-- she’s gonna take it to the grave. That’s all. Now,
can I go?”
G: “Wait.”
X: “Callisto knows about Solon.”
G: “But, how?”
X: “Whoever freed her must’ve told her. But who that is or how
they know-- ”
Kal: “Doesn’t matter. Bottom line is protecting Solon.”
X: “What about hiding Solon in the Ixion caves?”
Kal: “Should be safe there.”
G: “Maybe we should take Fayla, too. How about it, Fay-- ?”
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Cal: “Tell me again how Xena looked when you told her that I’d
take her precious little secret to the grave.”
H: “Like she’d been stabbed through the heart with her own
sword.”
Cal: “And that’s exactly how she’ll feel too, when Solon dies--
stabbed, stabbed through the heart.”
H: “Ow-- that hurts.”
Cal: “Here’s to the soul of such exquisite pain.”
H: “Don’t!”
Cal: “Oh, I wish I could’ve seen it.”
H: “Stop!”
Cal: “Hmm.”
H: “You’ll get your chance. Why do you think I freed you?”
Cal: “To make her suffer.”
H: “To make her stop. My father’s kingdom is at hand-- the age
of darkness, when Dahok will snuff out the people Xena loves,
till he’s crushed her very soul-- and as she goes-- so goes the
world.”
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[ACT II]
Sol: “No way! I’m not a baby! None of the other kids have to
hide.”
Kal: “You’re not one of the other kids.”
X: “Kaleipus-- do you mind if I talk to Solon alone?”
Sol: “What’s with him, anyway?”
X: “He’s worried about you.”
Sol: “Why? I can take care of myself.”
X: “He is your father. Maybe not by blood-- but he couldn’t
love you any more if he were. And when you are a parent-- and
your child is in danger, that is the scariest feeling in all the
world.”
Sol: “You’re saying he’s scared.”
X: “I’m saying he loves you. And though you might not
understand the reason, you have to trust that someone who loves
you that much is only trying to do what’s best for you-- right?”
Sol: “I guess so.”
X: “So, do me a favor-- cut him some slack, all right? Deal?”
Sol: “Deal. But you owe me.”
X: “Big time.”
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G: “Thanks. Where did you get this?”
H/Fay: “I didn’t steal it. It’s mine. It’s always been mine.
The people who found me said so.”
G: “Found you?”
H/Fay: “They said it was in the basket with me. All’s I
remember is-- lots of water-- me crying for my mom. But she
never came.”
Eph: “Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Xena says to hurry; they’re ready
to go. Is there something wrong?”
G: “No. No, I’ll be right there. Look, um-- there’s something
that I have to do, here. So I want you to do a favor for me, OK?
I want you to wait in my hut till I get back. And this way, I--
I’ll know you’re safe.”
H/Fay: “Don’t see why you care.”
G: “You will. Do you promise?”
H/Fay: “I promise.”
G: “Bye.” [She leaves.]
H: “Bye-bye-- Mommy.”
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X: “Wait. I smell burning.”
Cal: “Really, Xena? Is that any way to greet an old friend?
Especially considering the warm welcome I just gave you.”
X: “How’d you do it, Callisto? Who helped you? That lava pit
should have held you forever.”
Cal: “Well, that’s for me to know and you to find out. But I
didn’t come here to talk about me. I came to meet your precious
little son-- Solon, isn’t it? Flesh of your flesh-- bone of your
bone-- blood of your blood. Can’t wait to see all that.”
X: “Hurt my son and I swear by any god you name, I’ll-- ”
Cal: “You’ll do what? You’re gonna make my life a living hell?
Old hat, Dear. You did that years ago, when you, uh-- barbecued
my family. But now it’s my turn to host the cook-out! And where
is the guest of honor?! Solon. Solon, Dear. Come meet your
Auntie Callisto.”
X: “No!”
Cal: “Gabrielle. Clever you-- fooling me with the old ‘bait and
switch.’ Good plan. After all-- even I can’t be at two places
at the same time, now-- can I?” [Laughs]
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Kal: “Solon? I thought I told you to wait back there! Zeus’
child-- what are you doing here?” [Screams]
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G: “I don’t understand! Even Callisto can’t be in two places at
once.”
X: “She’s not working alone. She as good as said so.”
G: “What?”
X: “Someone is helping her. I just don’t know who? Kaleipus.”
G: “Oh!”
X: “Kaleipus. Kaleipus, what happened? Where is Solon?
Where’s Solon?”
Kal: “Safe-- went for help.”
X: “Who did this?”
Kal: “The-- the child.”
X: “What? I can’t hear you?”
Kal: “Oh-- oh-- raise him.” [Dies]
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[ACT III]
X: “I’m so sorry. Kaleipus was one of the finest people I ever
knew.”
Sol: “Like my father-- and my mom. But, why does everyone I
love die? Is it me?”
X: “No. No, of course not.”
Sol: “Then why are they dead? Everyone who ever loved me?”
X: “They’re not. You still have m-- many, many friends. And
they’ve all said how much they love you and want you to come and
live with them.”
Sol: “But I don’t want to. I want to live with you.”
X: “What?”
Sol: “I won’t be any trouble-- I promise. I’ll catch my own
food-- and keep up. And I’m hardly ever sick.”
X: “Solon, I don’t think-- ”
Sol: “Please. My uncle always said, if anything happened to
him, you’d be there for me.”
X: “And he was right. But all your ties are here. Don’t you
wanna be with someone that you know-- someone that you care
about?”
Sol: “Yes-- you. You said we were friends-- and real friends
are like family, right?”
X: “Like family.”
Sol: “Then take me with you-- please? Don’t leave me.”
X: “When all this is over, you be packed and ready to go. We’ve
got a lot to talk about. We might as well do it on the road.”
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Cal: “Hope. Hope. Are you here?”
H: “Hmm.”
Cal: “Hope-- what’s happened?”
H: “Uh, that half-assed old man. He caught me coming for
Solon.”
Cal: “So you had to kill him-- and look what it’s done to you--
meek as a little kitten. Which means, Solon-- is mine.”
H: “No. You have to get me out of here. Leave me now-- and
join the rest of your puny gods when Dahok destroys them. Lose
everything I promised-- everything Dahok brings.”
Cal: “Well-- what is a little more time? And when you’re well--
we’ll obliterate them all.”
H: “No-- better to crush their dreams-- destroy their future.
We’ll kill what they love most-- their children.”
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Woman’s Voice: “Come on, boys! Quickly, now! Hurry! Quickly!”
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G: “Fayla! Where have you been?! I have been looking all over
for you! You said that you would wait here, remember?”
H/Fay: “I’m sorry-- but she wouldn’t let me! I tried to get
away, but she-- !”
G: “Who? Who, Callisto?”
H/Fay: “I have this power-- to move things. I don’t know why.
She says it’s-- ‘cause I’m evil.”
G: “That is a lie. You are not evil. Never believe that.”
H/Fay: “My mother thought so. She tried to drown me in a
basket. She wanted me dead.”
G: “She wasn’t trying to drown you. She was trying to save your
life.”
H/Fay: “You weren’t there! You don’t know!”
G: “I do. The basket is all there was. I-- I had to put you in
it or, I had to watch you be killed. Now, I had no choice. I
loved you.”
H: “You? You loved me?”
G: “I-- I prayed that the gods would protect you-- and they did.
They brought you home.”
H: “We have to go. I’m sorry, Mommy, it was me. I helped
Callisto get out. And now she’s coming for the kids. We have to
go! Come on, hurry!”
G: “No, wait, wait, wait-- wait. Xena has to know this.”
H: “No, Xena hates me!”
G: “She doesn’t hate you. She just doesn’t understand. Now,
she will see what I’ve known all along-- that you can fight your
dark side-- just like her.”
H: “But I’m scared. If Callisto finds out I told, she’ll kill
me! She will!”
G: “She will not find out. I will take you to the safest place
there is, until we can go. OK?”
H: “The safest place? You promise?”
G: “I cross my heart. Don’t be afraid-- OK? Now, come with me.
Let’s go.”
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Sol: “Almost ready.”
H: “Solon?”
Sol: “That’s right.”
H: “Safest place there is.”
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Eph: “The children? She’s targeting the children?”
G: “She’s coming from the south.”
Eph: “I’ll round up the kids-- get ‘em to the caverns.”
X: “What makes you think you can trust this child?”
G: “What makes you think that we can’t? Xena, she gave us
Callisto’s plan.”
X: “Exactly. Callisto wouldn’t tell her anything she didn’t
want us to hear. The child’s probably a pawn or worse!”
G: “That is not true. Xena, you were always so quick to blame
her, weren’t you? Well, she is _not_ evil! She’s not!”
X: “Hope? The child is Hope?”
G: “I’m sorry. I never meant to lie. Xena-- I couldn’t kill
her. She’s my daughter. You’re a mother-- you know this! I had
to save her.”
X: “Maybe it’s not too late. She’s young. Poison’ll kill her
if her powers aren’t mature.”
G: “Poison? Xena, she is my child!”
X: “She is not a child! She is a body-- a vessel-- an
instrument for evil. That is all!”
G: “You are wrong! Xena, Hope is the victim here! That is why
I sent her to Kaleipus’ hut, so she would be safe from Callisto.”
X: “You sent her to Kaleipus’ hut?”
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X: “Solon? Solon? Hey-- hey, Solon. Solon.”
G: “Xena? No. No. No.”
X: “Get out.”
G: “Xena-- ”
X: “Go! Solon. Solon-- please. I’m here, now. Your mom is
here now-- just like you always wanted.” [Screams]
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Cal: [Rises and smiles.]
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[ACT IV]
Eph: “Xena, it’s Ephiny. Xena, please.”
X: “Go away.”
Eph: “Xena, Calliso’s coming. We need your help.”
X: “Go away. [Ephiny leaves.] I said, get-- !”
Eph: “Xenon.”
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H: “Mommy?”
G: “What are you doing here? I thought I told you to wait in
Kaleipus’ hut?”
H: “I know-- but it was awful. I couldn’t stay there! I was
scared!”
G: “Why? What did you do?”
H: “I ran. As soon I got there and saw that boy dead-- I ran
and hid.”
G: “Hope-- are you saying that he was already dead when you
entered the hut?”
H: “I thought Callisto did it-- so I got scared and ran away.”
G: “Oh, of course. It had to be Callisto. You said that she’s
after the children, right?”
H: “She is. So, please-- can we go now? I don’t wanna die like
Solon.”
G: “How did you know his name was Solon?
H: “You, you said so-- remember? Now, please, can we go?”
G: “Yes. Yes, we’ll go.”
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Cal: [Gets arrow through heart] “Hurts, doesn’t it? Losing
your family-- rips out your heart, your guts-- your feelings.
All that’s left is the pain, right? Welcome to the club.”
X: “Now!”
[Centaurs attack Cal.]
Centaur: “Huh?”
X: “Fall back!”
Cal: [Screams]
X’s Voice: “Go! Take cover!”
Male Voices: “Retreat! Hurry!”
Cal: “Stupid fools. I’m doing you a favor.”
[X attacks Cal.]
Cal: “You’d like to kill me. Wish you could.”
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Cal: “Why drag this out?! Can’t you see I bring you the gift of
oblivion?! Come out, come out, wherever you are? I promise it
won’t hurt-- much. Dead end.”
X: “You got that right. It all ends here with me.”
Cal: “You don’t seem to get it, do you? You’ve won. All these
years I’ve spent-- living to destroy you? Thinking that-- only
if I could give you the same pain that you gave me-- I’d be rid
of it-- and life would go on. And then I do-- and nothing
changes. I don’t feel better-- just empty. So you let me go,
Xena. You can’t win this battle. And you’ve already won the
war.”
X: “Oh, it’s not that simple. I won’t let it be.” [Attacks
Cal]
Cal: “I’m warning you Xena-- you’re nothing to me, now.”
X: “You’re breakin’ my heart.”
Cal: “Walk away.”
X: “Go to Tartarus.”
[X fights Cal.]
X: “Get down!”
Eph: “Run!”
**Cal: “You’ll trap us both! That’s your plan-- to trap me here
while my pain keeps growing and growing and you die [to that
end?]!”
X: “You’re wrong, Callisto. You let your pain kill you years
ago. I’m gonna live with mine.”
Cal: [Screams]
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Eph: “Look out! It’s OK.”
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[G kneels over (presumably) Hope’s dead body and almost drinks
the poison that’s killed her. Xena approaches and they exchange
sorrowful, pained looks.]
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[Ephiny “sings” at double funeral fire-- Solon and Hope,
presumably [?]]
G: “If-- if I had just done what you said-- when you told me to
do it, then they would still be alive-- Kaleipus and Solon.”
X: “No. Don’t you even speak his name.”
G: “Xena.”
X: “No. No, you lied to me. I trusted you, and you lied to me.
And now Solon is dead. My son is dead-- because of you.”
G: “I love you, Xena.” [Walks away]
[X cries and walks away.]